Shades Of Grey
by PuraJazzBot
Summary: [G1]Not everything in life is black and white eventhough your color scheme may be. Based on the Fanchara100 challenge over at Live Journal. Rated somewhere between T and M for certain chapters.
1. Sleep

TITLE: Rest for the Weary

CHALLENGE SET: #3

CHALLENGE: Sleep

RATING: PG

WORD COUNT: 547

PAIRINGS: Pura/Blue Wing  
SUMMARY: Pura helps Wing get some much needed recharge

_Sleep, my love, and peace attend thee, all through the night. – trad lullaby._

With a tired sigh, Blue Wing threw himself down onto the recharge berth he shared with his bond-mate, his optics flickering off almost as soon as he laid his head down. He was worn out after a long day of flying and fighting. His head hurt and he was sore just about everywhere else. Tired as he was, he could barely register the presence of the femme beside him. He was glad when she wrapped her arms around him and drew him closer to her in a gentle embrace.

"Tired, my love?" she asked in a soft whisper.

"Mmm… considerably," he murmured in her audio. "Sore too."

The next thing he knew, her hands were there rubbing his back – stretching and relaxing taught cables; stroking his wings – manipulating the various magnetic fields around them to ease the strain; caressing his neck, head and face – soothing the heated metal with a cooling touch. He let out a soft moan of relief, feeling the tension in his body slowly leave him.

"Pura," he said softly. "You…"

"Sshh," she replied. "You need to rest." She pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead as her hands began to massage his neck and shoulders. "Go to sleep."

Fighting off the drowsiness she was stimulating in him, he looked at her – watching her fade in and out of his vision as his body called for sleep and his mind, in contrast, insisted he stay awake to make sure she slept too. "But you…"

"I will, when you do. Sleep Wing."

There was a hypnotic purr in her voice that was pulling him offline. She always had this effect on him, and to be honest, he was just too tired to fight back. Not that he ever would, he enjoyed the attention from her too much. So he gave in and let the blissful recharge she was sending him into claim him completely. He nestled close and nuzzled into her neck and shoulder.

Pura smiled to herself as she watched the big blue mech shut down, not ceasing the motion of her hands because she knew he liked to feel her touch as he fell asleep. Sleep had a way of revealing a side no one else got to see – a younger, more vulnerable side. She saw it in the way his features relaxed and the weariness of the day left him. She felt it in the way he held her securely to him, as if he was half afraid she would leave him.

Slowly easing, then stilling her hands, she placed another kiss on the bridge of his nose.

"Sleep well, my Wing," she murmured. "I love you."

Her optics flickered as sleep called to her too. The sound of his systems in recharge carried with it a whisper that invited her to join him in his world of slumber – as if he were reluctant to be there alone. She rested her head against his with a soft sigh, as her turquoise optics went dark, letting sleep finally welcome her into its folds.

END


	2. Insomnia

TITLE: Walking Alone

CHALLENGE SET: #3

CHALLENGE: Insomnia

RATING: PG

WORD COUNT: 665

PAIRINGS: hinted Pura/BlueWing

SUMMARY: Its not always easy being a leader.

_Don't wanna close my eyes. I don't wanna fall asleep 'cause I'd miss you babe, and I don't wanna miss a thing. – Aerosmith._

Pura walked through the hallways of the Underground like a restless ghost, her light footsteps barely making a sound on the metal flooring. A good thing too, since most of her teammates were now deep in recharge, and waking them at some unholy hour could prove catastrophic. Hence the reason she tried to make as little noise as possible.

She held a datapad in her hand, that was full of information from the others regarding their current situation, location, scouting reports, reports on warfare, neighboring cities, defense strategies, etc, etc – most of them things she would rather not read about, certainly not when she was trying to get to sleep. Only she didn't have a choice in the matter. She had to do it if she was supposed to keep them all from getting killed. Waking hours were out of the question. If they were not out fighting and killing Shockwave's drones, and various and sundry Decepticons that passed through the city above them, then they were usually involved in other duties, which left little time for report reading. So she did it when the others were asleep and she was alone.

What did she know about being a leader anyway? Aside from the fact that it gave her more stress than she knew what to do with. This was not the first time she'd walked the hallways of the base, unable to sleep because she was too afraid of what tomorrow would bring. She didn't want to lose any of them, yet she knew that if one of them died, it would be her fault. They were counting on her for their battle tactics after all.

Lives. All their lives depended on how well she could analyze a situation and come up with a suitable plan to counter the enemy… and she wondered why she couldn't get to sleep sometimes. She let out a weary sigh and turned a corner, starting to walk down the hallway that housed the private quarters. Much of the base was still 'new', thus the reason why some quarters still didn't have any doors. In fact, the only one that did was hers and she suspected that it was only because she was a femme – and their commander – and therefore needed some kind of privacy, that the others labored to ensure her room had a door before any of the others.

She walked quickly and quietly down the hall, glancing briefly into the rooms to make sure that the mech within each was recharging peacefully and comfortably. She paused a little longer outside one room, noting the large, winged form that lay on the berth within and through the darkness she could just make out some of the blue armor. There was a moment of hesitation where she almost wanted to go inside and talk to him.

Of all the mechs in her team, he was the one she always went to when unsure about things. He was different from the others somehow – older, more mature, more experienced than the others, yet also very soft-spoken and polite. Pura knew she would have gone crazy if not for his help. The moment passed and she shook her head and continued walking. She had no right to disturb others just because she couldn't recharge herself. Putting the welfare of subordinates before your own – wasn't that one of the things a leader did?

She reached the control room and checked the screens to make sure there was nothing out of the ordinary on them, before sinking into one of the chairs and picking up the datapad again. She had only a few more megacycles left to finish it before the others started to wake up.

END


	3. Narcolepsy

TITLE: Drifting Feelings

CHALLENGE SET: #3

CHALLENGE: Narcolepsy

RATING: PG

WORD COUNT: 737

PAIRINGS: suggested Pura/Blue Wing

SUMMARY: Be careful where you fall asleep.

OTHER NOTES: Lightwing is another fanchara of mine, Blaster is canon and owned by HasTak.

_Oh my sleeping child, the world's so wild, but you build your own paradise. That's one reason why I'll cover you sleeping child. – Michael Learns To Rock._

Another battle over, and while thankfully no one in the team was hurt, it also meant that everyone was well enough to attend a review session and give reports. Being independent fighters didn't necessarily mean that they were exempted from the standard military protocols. It was Blue Wing who suggested that they keep some kind of records of their activities just in case they were found out by any Autobot officials.

Still, Pura mused, did they really have to do it immediately after a battle? Part of her knew it was the best time since the events were still fresh in everyone's mind. She knew it was important, and why it was so. It was just that she was so fragging tired. Only, she was their leader, thus was not supposed to be tired, and so she tried instead to focus on what Lightwing was saying.

Blue Wing watched her carefully, subtly glancing to where she sat on his left. He noted the way she rested her head on the back of the chair, the weary posture of her body. They were all tired, yes, but she was exhausted – and he knew why. As he glanced at her again, she reached up and rubbed her optics.

"Are you tired?" he asked in a low whisper.

"Huh?" She looked up quickly. "Oh. No, I'm fine."

Liar, Wing thought to himself, but what could he do? She was their commander after all, and he didn't have the authority to order her to do anything. Partly their fault, he noted guiltily, since they were the ones who had named her leader and had thus thrust all responsibility upon her slender shoulders. He'd felt horrible for doing it, but they all knew she was the only one capable of doing the job.

A flicker of her optics caught his attention again. The poor femme was falling asleep where she sat, but was trying her best not to give in.

"Uh… Pura?" Lightwing paused.

Again she looked up quickly, only to see the silver Seeker looking right back at her.

"Um, that was good Lightwing, just make sure to include the details when you type your report later," she said.

Lightwing nodded, then sat. Blaster stood up at this point, to take over from where Lightwing had stopped. Blue Wing heard Pura let out an almost inaudible sigh as she leaned back in her seat once more, fighting to stay online.

He was aware of all the nights she stayed awake, walking through the hallways; all the times she stood outside his room debating whether or not to enter. He wished she would, had often thought about calling out to her and telling her he was awake and that she could talk to him. The only reason he didn't was because he was afraid he would embarrass her. And again, it wasn't his place.

"Hey Wing?" Blaster called.

Distracted from his musings, the blue flier turned his attention to their communications expert, only to see him looking half-worried, half-amused in Pura's direction. It was then that he felt the slight pressure on his left arm. Looking down, he saw their leader fast asleep, her head resting on Wing's arm. He turned back to the others.

"Uh, lets end this for now shall we? Make sure all your reports are done by tonight, and get a good recharge," he said. "Dismissed."

The others saluted and left the room. Once they were gone, Wing reached around and managed to gently lift Pura's sleeping form in his arms. Cradling her carefully to his chest, he made his way to her room, trying to ignore the tingle in his spark at having her this close to him. Once there, he gently laid her down on the berth and stepped back. He gazed down at her for a moment with a fond smile on his face, that bordered just slightly on longing.

"Rest easy, Pura," he whispered softly.

Then he turned and quietly left the room.

END

* * *

And because I forgot to before, here is the link to Pura's profile: www. livejournal. com/ users/ papyrusquill/ 926.html. just remove the spaces and put an underscore between 'papyrus' and 'quill' 


	4. Captive

TITLE: Chains

CHALLENGE SET: #3

CHALLENGE: Captive

RATING: PG

WORD COUNT: 1,193

PAIRINGS: suggested Pura/Blue Wing

SUMMARY: The best help sometimes comes unlooked for

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your fears. When you screamed I'd fight away all of your fears. I've held your hand through all of these years. But you still have all of me. – Evanescence._

The room was dark, quiet for the most part, and she was lying on her berth. She was lying on her berth! Pura sat upright with a jerk, her fuel regulator pumping frantically. What was she doing in her quarters at this time! Hastily she searched her memory banks for the last recorded working hour and remembered that she'd been in a discussion with Blaster and Blue Wing over in the control room. The two mechs had been talking about the surveillance feed from the surface to their underground base and how it could be improved. She must have fallen asleep during that, but how did she end up in her room?

Intending to find out what had happened, she scrambled off the berth and made her way over to the door. Only, before she could reach it, something tugged on her left ankle and threw her off balance. Luckily for her, however, a pair of strong arms caught her around the waist before she hit the ground.

Regaining her balance, she looked up into the rather guilty face of Blue Wing, then down at her feet. A length of chain lay on the ground, one end of which was attached to the recharge berth and the other to a clasp, fitted loosely around her ankle. Realizing he was still holding on to her, Blue Wing released his grip on her waist and took a step back. Pura's expression was unreadable.

"I don't know whether to thank you or hit you," she said.

The blue flier smiled sheepishly. "It was a unanimous decision," he said.

"Oh? And what decision was this, may I ask?"

Wing went over and sat down on the chair he'd been occupying earlier. "This wasn't the first time you dozed off during a meeting or some other session. You're not getting enough rest Pura, and we're all worried about you."

Pura sat back on her bunk and waved her left foot, making the chain rattle. "Isn't this a little extreme?"

"Think about it, Pura. If it weren't for that you'd be up and working again. Even if we managed to lock you in your room, you'd still find some work to do. This is the only way we could think of to get you to rest."

"By holding me captive in my own quarters? If this was a proper military facility, you'd all be thrown in the brig for insubordination. And might I add – you were the ones who named me leader and gave me all this stress in the first place!"

Wing averted his downcast optics to the floor as Pura let out a frustrated sigh and lay back down on her side, curling up just slightly. He knew she had every right to be angry with them – with him – and was prepared to take whatever she wanted to throw at him. Only, it hurt, emotionally. He would have preferred it if she had just flung some physical object at him, because he didn't want her to be angry with him.

Because just like he held her captive right now, so did she hold him, just in a different way. He was more her captive than she was his, she just didn't know it, and he didn't know if she ever would. He certainly didn't have the courage to tell her.

A few more moments of silence passed, then…

"I'm sorry Wing, I didn't mean to target you like that."

Blue Wing looked up, optics brightening just a little bit. "Don't worry about it."

"I shouldn't have said those things. You were all just trying to help me."

"You had every right to. Naming you leader was unfair to you, but, you really are the only one fit for the job." He stood up slowly and made his way to the door. "I'll let you rest. Call me if you need anything."

"Wing, wait." Pura sat up. "Stay with me? Please? I… uh… don't really like being alone, with nothing to do. Keep me company?"

The flier stopped in his tracks. "Pura, of course." He started to back up to the chair.

Pura shook her head and shifted to one end of the berth. "Not there. Sit with me?"

"Are you sure?" Wing looked a little uneasy. "It may not be entirely appropriate, I mean…"

"Please?" Pura's optics widened just a little.

He caved. How could he possibly say 'no' to this femme when every look, every word, tugged on the chains she seemed to have around his spark, constantly pulling him closer to her. Going over to the berth, he sat down next to her, careful to keep a respectable gap between them. A gap that was soon closed when she drew closer and leaned against his shoulder.

"Hold me."

From her it was nothing but a simple request. To him it felt like an order. He was hesitant. He knew he shouldn't. Protocol insisted that he shouldn't; that by doing so he'd be over-stepping the leader-subordinate boundaries. His feelings said otherwise. She was not just his leader – she was also his friend, a dear friend whom he wished to someday get closer to. She was someone he cared for very much, and all she was asking him was to simply hold her for a while.

Gently he put his arms around her, subtly drawing her to him and feeling his fuel pump lurch in reward as she snuggled closer. This was, after all, the first time she'd consciously come this close to him. If only she knew how he felt. If only he could tell her just how much her prisoner he really was. His optics dimmed as he took her in, committing even her touch and smell to his memory.

"I'm just afraid I'll let you all down," she said softly.

Wing's optics brightened a little. "No, you wont." He rubbed her arm lightly. "You're doing just fine, and you're not alone. I'll always be here for you."

"Thanks Wing," she replied. "It means a lot to me."

"Anytime," he said.

She rested in his arms as he held her for a good while longer, feeling more relaxed than she had in a long time. Most likely because this was the first time anyone had held her in ages, or because he was the one holding her. She knew she felt more comfortable with him than with anyone else, though she had never thought about why.

She moved her legs and the chain rubbed against the edge of the berth, making her smile.

"If I promise not to run away, could you unchain me?" she asked.

Wing smiled as well, unable to resist giving her a light cuddle.

"I would love to do so Pura, but I'm afraid I cant. Blaster has the key."

END


	5. Injury

TITLE: Only Words

CHALLENGE SET: #3

CHALLENGE: Injury

RATING: PG

WORD COUNT: 939

PAIRINGS: none

SUMMARY: The one you love the most is the one who can hurt you the most

_And these foolish games are tearing me apart. And your thoughtless words are breaking my heart. – Jewel._

Prowl ducked, narrowly avoiding the metal ornament as it hit the wall behind him. He'd expected her to be upset over his last-minute announcement, but he had not planned for such a violent reaction. Pursuit, their creator, stepped between the siblings and caught hold of the femme's hands.

"Pura, calm down my little one," she said. "You should be happy for your brother."

Pura tried to wrench her hands from the older femme's. "He's leaving us! He's going away to join the army! Why should I be happy about that!"

"Because it's not all the time that someone from Praxus is accepted into the Autobot military," Prowl replied, staying well out of his sister's reach.

"Well, why you? Why do you have to go!" She lunged for him again, only to be stopped halfway by Pursuit.

"Sentinel Prime put out a call for a tactician. I simply applied for the position and they accepted me." Prowl backed up a step.

"But why!"

"Because that way, I will have a knowledge of how things are on the inside. I will be able to protect you better, protect you both. I can actually do something to aid the Autobots in this war."

Pura turned to her creator with pleading optics. "You cant let him go! What does he know about war?"

"He knows enough. Have a little faith in your brother Pura, he'll be alright."

"I will be in the intelligence department, and most likely will not have to participate in any actual combat. Please don't worry about me Pura. I'm doing this so I can keep both you and Pursuit safe."

The younger femme seemed to relax slightly as he said this, and her face took on a slightly hopeful look.

"Then let me come with you," she said. "I can help you."

"No." Prowl shook his head. "Absolutely not."

"Why not? You said it yourself that it wouldn't be dangerous."

"I never said it would not be dangerous, I merely stated that I might not have to fight."

"It's the same thing!"

"No, it is not. The military is not a place for a young femme like you. I cannot expect to carry out my duties well if I have to keep watch over you."

"I am fully capable of taking care of myself. Ask Pursuit, she sends me out."

"Prowl, maybe if you just take her with you and let her see what its like…"

"I will NOT take my sister into a military facility where she will simply be a distraction, not only to myself, but to every other mech around," Prowl said firmly.

"That's unfair!" Pura looked hurt. "Is that all you see me as?"

"LIFE is unfair Pura, which is why we are in the middle of a war in the first place, one that I do not want you involved in."

"Because I'm a distraction."

"Amongst other things, yes. You are young, inexperienced, have no training with a weapon, are far too weak in melee combat. In any situation you would be considered a hindrance, a weak point."

"Prowl…" Pursuit began.

"Its true and you know it Pursuit," Prowl said. "If this is the only way to make her understand that I do not want her in the military, then so be it. I will not temper my words."

Optics flaring, Pura looked at him. "So you're telling me I'm not good enough?"

"If you want to put it that way, then yes."

"You're a slagging aft."

"Honestly Pura, there's no need for such sparkling-like words. This is exactly why-."

The punch came out of nowhere and caught him square on the jaw, sending him staggering back a step or two. Pura looked at him through optics that were narrowed to fiery blue slits, her right hand still balled into a tight fist. Pursuit moved to lay a hand on her shoulder, but she shook it off, doorwings flung back and rigid.

"I hate you," she hissed at Prowl. "I don't want to ever talk to you again."

"You don't mean that Pura," Pursuit said.

"Don't be so sure," she replied, turning swiftly and leaving the room.

They heard the sound of a door sliding firmly shut. Pursuit sighed and went over to Prowl. The mech looked back at her, gingerly touching the dent his sister's fist had left in his jaw-line.

"I am not apologizing," he said. "She had to be told, she simply over-reacted."

"Maybe you pushed it a little too far," Pursuit said.

"Maybe I did, but she cannot be sheltered forever. Explain to her for me, she always did listen better to you."

"You're not saying goodbye to her? She does love you, Prowl."

"I do not fancy getting hit in the face again. I will speak to her when I come back to visit."

Pursuit walked him to the door. "You'd best be going, wouldn't want you to be late. Take care Prowl."

"I will. Look after yourself, and Pura. Tell her I love her, and will miss her terribly."

The older femme nodded. "We'll have a long talk when you come back."

Prowl gave his creator's shoulder a light squeeze, then stepped away and transformed, before heading off down the road. Pursuit watched him go with saddened optics, then turned back inside to go and comfort the other wounded sibling.

END


	6. Danger

TITLE: Fight and Flight

CHALLENGE SET: #3

CHALLENGE: Danger

RATING: PG

WORD COUNT: 1,175

PAIRINGS: None

SUMMARY: When their home town is attacked, creator and created must make some tough decisions

OTHER NOTES: Pursuit also belongs to me.

_Yeah, would fight for you, I'd lie for you, walk the wire for you. Yeah, I'd die for you. – Bryan Adams._

Pursuit stood alongside the window of the house she shared with her creation, her back to the wall. In her hands she held a long-range rifle, and every now and then she risked a look through the window. Outside, the city of Praxus burned – both buildings and Autobots. Maurauders ran through the streets, shooting indiscriminately. The grey and black femme cursed softly under her breath, mindful of the younger femme that knelt at her side.

Pura looked up anxiously at her creator, her optics filled with a mix of fear and excitement. She clutched a smaller rifle in her black hands.

"Will we have to go out there?" she asked.

"I hope not," Pursuit replied, stroking the other's midnight purple helm affectionately. "Hopefully, they might miss our home altogether."

"No chance of that happening though, huh?"

Pursuit didn't respond and instead went back to her watch of the immediate surroundings.

"Do you think Prowl will come?" Pura asked in a whisper, after a while.

"Maybe if word gets to him," Pursuit said. "But he may get word too late. The communication tower was the first thing they destroyed."

A loud explosion from close outside cut off Pura's response and Pursuit whipped her head towards the window. Her optics narrowed as she brought her rifle to bear and fired off two quick shots. Pura started in surprise and quickly bit back a cry. Pursuit looked down at her.

"I'm sorry I scared you, but they were close." She crouched down beside the other femme. "Though I think I may have given us away by doing that." She looked apologetic.

"They would have found us if you didn't shoot them," Pura replied by way of assurance. "Maybe we should leave now before the rest of them show up."

The young femme was trying her best to be brave, but Pursuit noticed her hands trembling slightly on the handle of her rifle. She gently placed her own hands over them and gave them a light squeeze. Pura looked at her.

"Where will we go to?" she asked.

"Well, maybe we should try to make it outside first," Pursuit answered with a little smile. "After that, we'll see."

Pura nodded and stood, hefting the rifle. "I'm ready."

Pursuit gave a small laugh and she stood as well. "Not yet. Take the safety off first."

"Oh." Pura quickly thumbed the catch back.

"Now you're ready, but just be careful where you point that."

… Together the two femmes edged towards the door. Still standing alongside it, Pursuit pushed it open and looked out. Aside from the two dead mech, most of the immediate area in front of their home seemed to be quiet. She stepped out cautiously, then motioned for Pura to follow. They headed down one of the streets, running from the shadow of one building to the next, Pura trying her hardest to ignore the destruction all around and the smell of mech-fluid and focus instead on following Pursuit. There was a throbbing in the air that seemed to be getting louder. Pursuit stopped and scanned the sky above.

"They're coming," she said.

Pura opened her mouth to ask a question, but was cut off as a laser bolt struck the ground just inches from Pursuit's foot. This time, she couldn't help the startled yelp she let out. Pursuit grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her behind a pile of rubble.

"Pursuit, whats - ," Pura began to ask.

"You need to run," Pursuit cut her off. "Don't stop for anything, and if anyone tries to stop you, shoot."

"That's not very Autobot."

"You're not an Autobot right now. You're my creation, and I want you to be safe."

"But… you… let me stay and - ."

"No!" Pursuit gently cupped Pura's cheek. "I gave Prowl the strength. I gave you the speed. I want you to use it and get out of here. Get underground somehow. The Seekers don't like enclosed spaces. When its safe again, head for Iacon, find Prowl."

Pura's optics were wide and rimmed with optic fluid. "Why cant we go together?"

"Because someone needs to draw them away or they'll kill us both. You're still young Pura, I want you to live. Don't worry about me. I'll try and make it to Iacon myself, and I'll come and find you. Now," she picked up her rifle again. "When I give the word – run. Keep to the shelter of the buildings and get underground as soon as you can."

Pura nodded. Pursuit leaned forward and placed a kiss on the young femme's cheek.

"Primus be with you," she whispered. "I love you, my Pura."

Pura leaned closer and gave her creator a quick hug. "I love you too."

The older femme then stood, and soon enough, a barrage of gunfire came their way. Pursuit darted from behind the rubble and onto the street, weapon giving out charge after charge. Several Seekers dropped from the sky, smoke pouring from their afterburners, and Pura wondered how Pursuit knew to wield a rifle like that. She didn't have time to linger on the thought however, as Pursuit's voice snapped her to attention.

"Run Pura! Don't look back, just keep going till you get underground. Now go!"

Pura darted from behind their cover and ran as fast as she could to the shadow of the opposite building. Once there she transformed and tore down the road as fast as she could go, sensors scanning for any openings that led below.

"Not so fast little femme."

A large green Seeker transformed and landed in front of her. Pura swerved, braked and transformed with a squeal, summoning her rifle with quivering hands.

"Stay back," she warned, hoping her voice didn't give away her fear.

The Seeker laughed. "Do you even know how to use that?"

He took a step towards her. Instinctively she squeezed the trigger. The mech froze and looked down in shock at the neat hole that had punched through his laser core, just before he collapsed. Pura took a step back, hands shaking, and her rifle clattered to the ground. She stared at the dead mech lying before her, but the roar of engines overhead prevented her from focusing on what had just happened. Frantically, she looked around for a place to hide.

About five feet away she spotted a piece of grating covering a hole that led down into an old tunnel. Quickly lifting it up just enough for her to slip through it, she clambered down the rungs, dropping into a slick, murky pool of oil. Grimacing, she took a few steps into the darkness where she wouldn't be seen directly from above. There, she waited.

END


	7. Torture

TITLE: Watching And Waiting.

CHALLENGE SET: #3

CHALLENGE: Torture

RATING: PG-13

WORD COUNT: 880

PAIRINGS: Suggested Pura/Wing, Prowl/Jazz… Sibling affection from Pura-Prowl.

SUMMARY: Wing's not the only one who cares for Pura.

_I wanna lay you down on a bed of roses, for tonight I sleep on a bed of nails. I wanna be just as close as the Holy Ghost is, and lay you down on a bed of roses. – Bon Jovi_

Where on the planet was he? Pura paced outside the entrance to the base, ignoring the curious stares she got from some of the other Autobots passing by. She didn't give a slag about them right now, after all, they were not the ones with absentee bondmates. She was.

Yes, she knew that as a flier he needed to get outside and stretch his wings, so to speak, lest he come down with what the humans called 'cabin fever'. Even Ratchet had said that long flights now and then were considered good for his general health and well-being, and far be it from her to go against the notoriously cranky CMO. It was just the timing of it all.

She, much like everybody else, was no big fan of the war, but she had grudgingly learned to deal with it. Yet there were some days she really hated it. It always seemed to take away the ones most precious to her – even in the simplest of ways. Like now.

For the past few days, they'd been upto their elbows in work, trying to thwart the latest attempt at world domination, and they'd finally succeeded the day before. So she'd planned to spend this day with her mate – loving him and being loved – since this was the first time in a long while that they'd had some quality time together Ratchet, however, had other ideas, and had suggested that Wing use the day off to give himself some proper flying exercise.

Had she not possessed a properly functioning processing unit, she might have just marched over to the medic's office and told him in no uncertain terms what exactly he could've done with his suggestion.

Well-being indeed. What about her well-being? Her mental and emotional well-being? This was agonizing. She needed him – needed to be with him. She needed his touch, his kiss, his love. She needed him there right now, but he was miles away. Suppressing a shudder, she scanned the horizon once more, wrapping her arms around herself.

A dozen scenarios entered her head, none of them pleasant. What if he'd gotten hurt along the way, or had been shot down, or crashed somewhere. Or what if he simply didn't want to come back to her. That last one hurt worse than all the others combined, and she winced.

"Sshhh…. Easy, easy. It's alright."

A pair of arms slowly encircled her from behind and gently drew her into an embrace. A white hand closed lightly over one of her black ones. Pura looked up and back into an almost mirror image of herself.

"What are you - ."

"I understand Pura," the mech said. "I know how you feel."

"I don't think - ."

"Jazz is gone too." Again he cut her off. "Prime sent him out on a mission today."

"And you wanted to spend some time with him."

"Exactly. So I know the torture you're going through – when you need someone desperately and they're not around."

Pura nodded. "And I keep thinking that maybe - ."

" – he wont come back?" The black and white shook his head. "He loves you Pura. He was even willing to beat me into plating to prove it. He will always come back."

"Just hurts being apart," she said.

Her voice was small. He remembered it used to be like that a long time ago… but he would never get that same little femme back again. She didn't belong to him anymore, at least not completely. She'd stopped being his the day he left home. Yes, it hurt that she didn't need him like she used to.

"It hurts very much, I know." His arms tightened around her, turning the embrace into an affectionate hug. "That is why I referred to it as torture."

"You have such a comforting way with words," she replied, leaning into the hug. He was no Wing, and she would never love him the way she loved the big flier, but at least he was here. "Did Jazz teach you those?"

"Jazz is too busy teaching me other things to bother about my vocabulary."

"Dare I ask what?"

"It's probably best if you do not."

Pura turned to face him, optics boring into his, her head so close to his that their chevrons were almost touching. He half expected her to push him away, and was a little relieved when she didn't.

"What are you doing out here anyway?" she asked. "Don't you have some sort of work to do?"

"My work begins when Jazz returns with the information we sent him to get, so until he arrives, I thought I would come out here and join in the suffering with you."

She smiled and hugged him, head now resting on his shoulder. "I'm glad you did, Prowl."

"I'm glad I did, too."

END


	8. Poison

TITLE: Even Angels Fall

CHALLENGE SET: #3

CHALLENGE: Poison

RATING: PG-13

WORD COUNT: 1, 489.

PAIRINGS: Pura/Blue Wing

SUMMARY: Sometimes you'll do anything to be with the one you love.

_Red, red wine, stay close to me. Don't let me be alone, its tearing apart my blue, blue heart. – UB40._

"Pura!"

Focus… need to focus…

"PURA!"

There was too much audio-visual static. Made it hard to figure out what was happening.

"Wing! Get my sister back to the Ark NOW!"

So much pain…. If only all that moving and shaking would stop. It hurt. It needed to stop!

"Wing! What happened ta her man? She alright?"

"She fell Jazz, I… it was my fault…. Ratchet, please… please fix her… I need her!"

"Give her to me and get the frag out of my med-bay. I don't need you passing out in here. I don't need you in here, period. Now scram!"

Maybe if she shut down for a little while all these error messages would go away. Yeah, that was it. She just needed to shut down….

Blue Wing sat in a corner of the lounge, looking for all the world like a lost puppy. Careless. If only he hadn't been so careless to think that she would have been safe on his back. Yes, they had been doing that stunt for millennia, but that didn't give him the excuse to let his guard down and think that no one would come for him.

Ramjet was a dead mech the next time they met. If ANYTHING serious had happened to Pura…

He shook his head. What was he thinking? As if getting thrown off his back in mid-air wasn't serious enough. She wouldn't be lying in the med-bay with crumpled doors, a dented chest and a wrenched leg had it been otherwise. The rocks and boulders were unforgiving.

About as unforgiving as Prowl had looked. The Second-in-Command had shot him a poisonous glance as they both reached the fallen femme at the same time. It was justified, Wing mused, and he guessed that it was only Prowl's position as the Autobot Second, and his need to hold a calm and responsible front, that kept him from going outright ballistic on the blue flier. Wing himself would not have been so restrained had it been Prowl that put Pura in harm's way.

He shivered. If she didn't make it…

"Y'look like you could use this."

Jazz stood in front of him, holding out a can of high-grade. Wing shook his head.

"I cant."

"I know ya don't normally, but if you're gonna sit there and beat yourself up about what happened out there today, then - ."

"I was supposed to protect her!"

"Wing, man, y'did yer best. Sometimes things just happen that no one can see comin'. No one woulda guessed Ramjet'd be crazy enough ta try rammin' ya."

"I shouldn't have brought her out there in the first place."

"She would've come out ta help either way. Y'cant keep her caged in here forever Wing, that'd just make her miserable. Y'gotta quit with the poisonous thoughts man, or they'll just make ya bitter about yourself and her. What happened today was an accident a'ight, don't worry so much. Pura's a strong femme, she'll be okay."

"You don't know that. Ratchet wont even let me in to see how she is."

"That's 'cause he knows you'd go nuts. The best you can do now is have some o' this energon and get some sleep. You'll get ta see the li'l lady in the morning and she's gonna be right as rain."

Wing shook his head again. "I cant Jazz. The high-grade, it… it makes me sick. A can of it tends to have bad effects on me."

"Oh. Sorry 'bout that man. Then just go get some rest, you'll feel better for it." Jazz patted him on the shoulder, then moved off to talk to another group of Autobots.

Wing watched him for a moment as he ran the last few words he spoke through his processor. Whether it was weariness coupled with the stress and worry for Pura, or just plain insanity, he didn't know, but he had an idea on how to get into that med-bay. He stood and made as if to head for the door. At the last moment, he stopped at the energon dispenser, swiped a can of high-grade, popped it open and swallowed the contents in three or four gulps.

It took affect almost immediately…

His head made contact with the floor, and through the intense pain in his cranial chambers and storage banks, he could vaguely make out Jazz running towards him, shouting his name and calling for help to get the big mech to Ratchet.

Pura awoke with a low moan, but was relieved at least to note that she could see and hear clearly again, and her body didn't hurt as much. It was sore, true enough, but was no longer screaming bloody murder at her. And soreness meant repairs, which led to the conclusion that she was back home and in the med-bay. She looked around for Ratchet, wanting to get up, but was smart enough not to move till he gave her the all-clear.

"If you're awake, stay there," came the medic's gruff, but not unkind voice.

She turned her head and then saw him standing in front of another table across the room on which lay a familiar form. The legs, the arms, the shade of blue…. Wing? But what was he doing here? She didn't recall him getting injured yesterday.

"Incase you're wondering," Ratchet went on. "Your little mech-toy here attempted to poison himself with high-grade so he could keep you company in here."

Pura nearly jerked upright. "Is he…"

"Oh he's just fine and dandy," Ratchet snapped. "But it took me half the slagging night, in between patching you up, to get all that slagging high-grade out of his slagging systems." He came over to her and took a scan. "So the next time you try your little jet-riding stunt, I suggest you wear a fragging parachute. I get enough Seeker-related injuries in the form of the Twins. I don't need you joining them."

"With all due respect, I've been doing it as long as they have, and at least I'm with Wing, not jumping on some random Decepticon like they do."

"I don't give a turbo-rat's ass whose wings you stand on. Just don't do it! You do realize that if something happens to you, not only Wing, but Prowl will also be at my throat."

The femme had the grace to look sheepish. "Will an 'I'm sorry' appease you for now?"

Ratchet snorted. "Count yourself lucky that I don't hit femmes. Now, can I trust you not to kill yourself while I go pass out in my office for a while?"

"Cross my spark," Pura replied.

Muttering under his breath, Ratchet headed to his private office and closed the door. Once he was safely inside, Pura turned her head towards her mate. After watching him for a little while, she decided to risk Ratchet's wrath by slowly sitting up and then slipping off the table, before hobbling carefully on her newly-repaired leg over to where the blue flier lay.

Turquoise optics met emerald as she reached the table he lay on and placed a gentle hand on his brow. Her expression turned apologetic.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "Did I wake you?"

His sad optics scanned her body, noting the absent doorwings, the freshly-welded patch on her chest, and the awkward way she stood so as not to put too much weight on her injured leg. He hated seeing her like this.

"You shouldn't be up," he replied quietly. "You're still hurt. Should be resting, healing."

"Why did you do it?" she asked.

He knew what she was talking about. "Wanted to be near you." He moved over to the edge of the table, making some room for her. "Lie with me."

Pura slowly and gratefully eased herself down beside him, and Wing gently put his arms around her, careful not to hurt her. He sighed. Just having her there at his side seemed to take a weight off his shoulders.

"I'm sorry too," he said.

"I don't want you blaming yourself anymore for what happened," she said. "It wasn't your fault."

Wing gently kissed her on the forehead. "I love you, Pura."

When no response was forthcoming, he glanced down and saw that she'd fallen back to sleep, her head pillowed on his shoulder. Smiling, he caressed her face lightly with his other hand

"I love you very much."

…When Ratchet emerged from his office a couple of hours later to check on them, he found them both asleep together, Wing half-curled protectively around Pura. Shaking his head, he went back into his office. He'd chew Pura out for moving later.

END.


	9. Family

TITLE: First Kill

CHALLENGE SET: #3

CHALLENGE: Family

RATING: PG

WORD COUNT: 810.

PAIRINGS: Pura/Blue Wing

SUMMARY: Marine learns a thing or two about life, war and family

OTHER NOTES: Marine also belongs to me.

_Mama, just killed a man. Put a gun against his head, pulled the trigger, now he's dead. – Queen._

A soft whimper came from inside the room as Pura reached the half-open door to the quarters her young creation occupied. No, she corrected herself, not just her creation – her son. She liked using the human term. It seemed to fit, especially since he had been sparked there on Earth. A pure spark, created by a fusion of her spark and Wing's, not some artificially created computer program.

She stopped at the door. Turquoise optics scanned the room and located him curled up on his recharge berth. He shuddered now and then, as if forcibly holding back emotions.

"May I come in?" she asked softly.

He looked up. "P-Pura." Hastily he drew a hand across his face, checking for any tears that might betray him. "Y-yes, you can.

He looked at her as she entered, his own pale-blue optics bright and sad. She sat down on one end of the berth and he pulled himself over to her to rest his head on her lap. Gently, she cradled it in her arms, and despite everything that had happened, he knew he could find safety and comfort with her.

"You don't have to go through this alone, Marine," she said.

A tear dripped from the young mech's optic and splashed onto her thigh. He pulled himself closer and hugged her tightly around the waist, trembling as dry sobs shook his body. Pura gathered him to her and held him in a comforting embrace.

"Sshhh," she whispered. "Easy Marine, easy."

"I didn't want to kill him," Marine replied in a quivering voice. "But he… he was about to shoot Wing, and I couldn't…."

"Wing told me what happened. There's no right or wrong for what you did back there. You did what was necessary to protect your creator. He would have killed Wing."

"I know, and I keep telling myself that, but I still feel horrible for doing it."

"Marine," Pura kissed the top of his head. "I would be worried for you if you didn't. I'm glad you realize the gravity of taking a life."

The young mech hugged her closer. "I don't ever want to have to take another."

Pura said nothing.

"But I'll have to, wont I?" he asked.

"I wish I could say you wont, but I cant promise you. You might have to," she replied. "I'm sorry we brought you into this, my son."

"Pura, I'm here because of the love you and Wing have for each other, not because the Autobots needed another soldier to fight the war. I don't want to have to kill others, but I wont stand around and let you and Wing get hurt either, without even trying to protect you. We're – what do the humans call it – a family."

Pura touched her son's face. "Yes we are, though just a small one."

Marine leaned his head on her shoulder. "I like it that way.

…. Some time later, Wing quietly entered the room and moved over to the berth where Pura lay curled with Marine. He gazed at them for a moment, offering up a silent word of thanks to Primus for blessing him with such a wonderful mate and child – a beautiful little family of his own to love and care for. Pura stirred and looked up at him. Marine remained asleep. Carefully, she rose, then gently laid his head back down on the berth, caressing his cheek with a feather-soft kiss. Wing stooped and placed another kiss on his son's forehead.

Then, standing, he took Pura's hand in his and led her out of the room. Once out in the hallway, he pulled her to him and kissed her on the mouth – long and deep.

"How is he doing?" he asked once he released her.

"Still a little shaken," she replied.

"That's to be expected. Its not something you get over quickly or easily."

"I wish he didn't have to go through this all the same."

"As do I, my love, but we knew the moment he was sparked, that this would happen at some point."

"If only we could cocoon him away to some place safe and keep him there till the war ends."

Wing hugged her close. "That may be a very long time, who knows when the war will end. No, we will just do everything in our power to make sure he does not have to go through this again." He tilted her face up to his and placed another gentle kiss on her mouth. "After all, we are a family."

END.


	10. Friends

TITLE: Returning The Favor

CHALLENGE SET: #3

CHALLENGE: Friends

RATING: NC-16

WORD COUNT: 1,429.

PAIRINGS: Pura/Blue Wing

SUMMARY: The Twins help Pura out with some intimacy issues

_I'll be there for you, when the rain starts to fall. I'll be there for you, like I've been there before. I'll be there for you, 'cause you're there for me too. – The Rembrandts._

"There you are."

Wing looked up with a jump when two very familiar arms snaked around his neck, as Pura leaned forward and purred into his audio.

"I've been looking all over for you."

Silverbolt had the grace to look away, but not without an amused smile on his face. Wing looked sheepish.

"Is there something you wanted?" he asked.

"Of course there is, silly." She ran a finger up his back. "You."

Wing squirmed - half at her touch and half in embarrassment – and looked up at her apologetically. "I cant right now love. I promised Silverbolt I'd go over some aerial tactical plans with him today. Maybe later?"

"I've been hearing 'maybe later' for the past two days now, Wing. I'm starting to think that you may be seeing Aerialbots behind my back."

Silverbolt looked up. "I can assure you that's not the case, Pura."

"Now don't be silly," Wing said. "I've just been a little tied down with work, that's all. You're the last person who should be complaining about something like work Pura."

The femme pouted, and Wing steeled himself against her disappointed expression. He was not going to give in this time.

"What am I supposed to do by myself then?" she asked.

"Why not go for a drive? You like that."

Pura let out a resigned sigh. "Yeah, I like that," she said dejectedly.

"That's my femme." Wing gently cupped her left cheek and gave her a kiss on the right one.

Pura straightened and headed to the door, glancing back sadly at the two mechs who'd already resumed their conversation.

"Hey Pura, where're you headed?" Sideswipe sauntered up to the femme, Sunstreaker following a step behind.

"Out for a drive," she replied glumly.

"Mind if we join ya? We got some time off."

"Sure."

"Are you alright?" Sunstreaker asked, noting her sullen posture as she stood in the afternoon sun.

"Just fine, let's go."

She transformed and sped off. The brothers exchanged a look, then transformed and headed after her, their strong Lamborghini forms easily catching up with her little Mitsubishi Spyder mode.

"You don't sound fine," Sideswipe said.

"Don't look fine either," Sunstreaker agreed.

"Leave it alone guys. Its got nothing to do with you," she replied. "Its personal."

"Ahh," the Twins chorused.

"Well, don't worry." Sideswipe pulled up alongside her. "A few hours with me and you'll be all shiny-happy again."

"Or suicidal," Sunstreaker sniped.

"Thanks Sides," Pura said. "But you're not my type."

"Yeah, she doesn't date aft-heads."

"Who said anything about dating?" the red mech's voice dripped innocence. "I'm just saying I can cheer her up. It's a slagging lot more than you can do with your ray of sunshine, Sunshine."

"I don't need cheering up, really," Pura protested.

"Sure ya do. Unless you wanna end up like old dull and bitter over there," Sideswipe said.

"Frag you Sideswipe," Sunstreaker snapped.

"Why thank you Sunny, and frag you too."

"So where were you two planning on going?" Pura asked, interrupting the bickering pair.

"Petunia over there wanted to go on a picnic, so we came prepared for one," Sunstreaker said. "There's a meadow a few meters ahead."

"I see it," Pura said, and prepared to turn off.

A while later, the three of them sat on the grass beneath the shade of a few tall trees, with some empty energon cans stacked up a little way off. Pura wished it could have been her and Wing there instead, and she sighed longingly, earning the attention of the Twins.

"It's Wing, isn't it?" Sunstreaker asked.

Pura only nodded.

"What? You're not getting any?" Sideswipe asked, lying back on the grass and earning himself a smack from his brother. "What!"

"Ever heard of a little thing called tact, retard?"

"Hey, someone had ta ask."

Had she been able, the femme would have blushed. As it was, she managed a very sheepish look. Sideswipe noticed.

"See? I was right!"

Sunstreaker looked at her. "Is that true?"

Pura sighed. "Well, I wouldn't have worded it that way, but yeah, that's the gist of it. It just feels like he's been so busy doing other things that he doesn't seem to have any time left for me." She lay back as well. "The intimacy's been lacking for the last couple of days."

"Have you talked to him about it?" Sunstreaker asked.

"I've tried to," Pura replied. "He said he's just been tied down with work."

Sideswipe and Sunstreaker exchanged another look.

"Y'know, we still kinda owe you a favor," Sideswipe said.

Pura looked puzzled. "What favor?"

"Remember the time you took us into The Underground, when everyone else seemed to have forgotten us?" the red mech asked.

"I thought I was making it up to you for falling on your head?"

"Ah, well yeah, but ya still went through all of that trouble to find a medic for us."

"What the moron is trying to say," Sunstreaker added. "Is that you kept us around and gave us a roof over our heads instead of just kicking us out again like others would have done. We owe you for that."

"Guys, really, there's no need to trouble yourselves," Pura said.

"Its no trouble at all," said the yellow mech. "It'll be our pleasure."

"Yeah, just leave everything to us," Sideswipe assured her. "We'll help ya out with Wing, after all, what are friends for?"

That night, Pura headed down the residence hallway to the room she and Wing shared. After returning from her picnic with the Twins, they'd run off to work on their plan of returning the favor, while she had spent the rest of the day helping Wheeljack clean up the lab after another one of his experiments back-fired. Wing was nowhere to be found, and someone mentioned on her return, that he'd gone flying with Silverbolt.

She keyed her pass-code into the lock, the door slid open and she stepped inside, then nearly squealed in surprise. Her hand flew to her mouth just in time, as she took in the sight before her.

The lights had been turned down to a comfortable glow, and a peach-scented candle burned on her desk. The floor and the recharge berth – which had been pulled to the center of the room – were covered in red and yellow rose petals. However, it was what was on the berth that made Pura stifle a giggle and quickly shut the door.

Wing raised his head to look at her, each wrist and ankle shackled firmly, though not harshly, to a corner of the berth, the stalk of a white rose between his lips. He struggled slightly on seeing her, and made a noise of protest at his predicament. Pura went over to him, then spied a card wedged between a fold of armor in his hip. It was a note, and she didn't need to guess who it was from.

"_Sorry for tying him down again, but we figure this time you wouldn't mind…. PS, you might want to give him a head massage before anything else."_

Making a mental note to bail out the Twins, the next time they got in trouble with Prowl, Pura grinned and subspaced the note before sitting down beside him on the berth, a slight twinkle in her blue optics. Wing's own optics were wide and wary as he watched her, wondering what she was going to do. He whimpered softly and tugged on one of his wrist bonds.

"Oh, do you want me to release you?" she asked, making no move to remove the rose from his mouth.

He nodded once, then let out a small moan of pleasure as she ran her hand up one of his wings, squirming and shuddering with the sensation.

"I'll let you go." She leaned down and nuzzled him near an audio receptor before whispering. "When I feel like it."

A gentle nibble followed, which elicited another moan from him, before she climbed over him to the end of the berth, where she rested his head on her lap and rubbed it soothingly.

"You may not think so now, Wing," she said. "But you're going to owe me for this by the time the night is over."

END.


	11. Phobia

TITLE: Rise And Fall

CHALLENGE SET: #3

CHALLENGE: Phobia

RATING: PG

WORD COUNT: 1,097.

PAIRINGS: Suggested Pura/Blue Wing

SUMMARY: Blue Wing works up the courage to ask Pura out on a flight, but Pura has a hidden fear that might make her reject him.

_Fall, baby, fall, just like the rain washes it all. If the tears will make you heal all that is real, all that is wrong. Let 'em fall, baby, fall. – Ryan Cabrera._

Blue Wing squared his shoulders and drew himself up to his full height as he stood in the dimly lit hallway. His optics were filled with determination to see this through, and he was not going to falter this time. This time, circumstances favored him and he had come prepared. As footsteps sounded down the hallway, he took in a few breaths of air to calm his systems. It was now or never.

"Pura, there you are," he said, as the young femme came into view. "I've been wai-looking for you."

"I'm here now." She smiled up at him. "What can I do for you."

"Uh… well…," Wing cleared his throat. "I was just thinking, that with Tracks injured, I don't have a partner for aerial combat at the moment. So I figured that maybe, y'know…."

"It's a good idea Wing," she said. "I like it. It'll take the strain off Tracks for a while. I'll go tell Blaster he'll be your partner till Tracks heals."

"Yeah… huh! Wait! Pura." He reached out and caught her arm. "I wasn't talking about Blaster. I meant you… be my partner… uh, flying partner."

"Oh…. Thanks for the offer Wing, but…"

"You're a better shot than him."

Pura grinned. "I wont tell Blaster you said that."

"Seriously, Pura, you cant expect Blaster to do all his communication jamming and stuff while engaged in combat. It would be doubling his workload and wouldn't be fair to him."

The femme glanced at his hand still wrapped around her upper arm. "You really want me to join you huh?"

"Yes," Wing replied a little too quickly. "I mean…" He let go of her. "It would be nice if you did."

She smiled wryly. "Did you know that I have a slight phobia of falling?"

Wing blinked. "No, I did not. Pura, I uh… I don't want to force you…."

Pura shook her head. "I understand what you're saying Wing. We have an advantage in what we do, and we shouldn't give that up. I shouldn't compromise the overall welfare of the team, its just…. I'm afraid I'll fall and…."

The blue mech gently placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the optics. "I will never, ever, let you fall, Pura."

A moment passed, during which they stood like that, looking into each others' optics as if searching for words not yet spoken. Then Pura broke contact, looking just the slightest bit sheepish.

"Well, um… guess we should go out there and uh… get some practice together huh? Uh… flying practice that is," she said. "Or at least I should."

Wing released her. "I'll help you as much as I can."

"I must be crazy," Pura said as she knelt on the flier's wings as he hovered well above the ground.

"Pura, relax. Let your equilibrium regulators do their job," Wing advised her. "Just don't look down."

"Easy for you to say, you're used to this." Her hands clutched the edges of his wings. "And I'll have to look down to shoot when we're in combat."

"Don't think about falling think about staying on my back. You can beat this Pura."

"There was a reason I was made to be a ground-crawler," Pura grumbled as she relaxed her death-grip on his wings and tried to straighten up. "Alright, now what?"

"Now I'm going to start moving," Wing said. "So just hold on and I'll get you used to this in no time."

… He made the flight as gentle as he possibly could for her, smoothing out all his banks and turns to the best of his ability, just so that she wouldn't feel like she was going to fall.

"You're good at this," she said softly.

Wing smiled to himself. "I've been flying from the time I was sparked. I've had a lot of time to work on my technique." He glided into another turn. "Are you doing okay?"

"I'm good for now." She patted a wing. "I've got a very caring companion."

"I've… uh… I've always cared for you Pura. Flying or otherwise."

"So have I, Wing… for you."

… No one else, however, knew about their little training routine, so Lightwing was completely unaware of their presence as he came flying around the corner of an old building at full speed. To avoid a mid-air collision, Blue Wing instinctively swerved sharply, and the momentum of it threw Pura off his back….

Wing dove after her, transforming in mid-air and swooping under her to catch her safely and gently in his arms. Pura put her arms around his neck and clung to him, trembling, as he held her close.

"Whoa, its alright, I've got you."

He nuzzled her gently, not caring in the least that he was stepping over yet another leader-subordinate boundary. It didn't matter. He cared for her, and wanted to comfort her. She pulled back slightly and looked at him.

"I told you I would never let you fall," he said softly as he glided back down to the ground, where Lightwing was waiting. "Are you alright?"

"I am now," she said. "Thank you."

"No problem."

Lightwing ran over to them as soon as they touched the ground. "You both alright? I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were out here."

"It's not your fault, Lightwing, don't worry about it," Blue Wing said.

"No one else knows we're out here either," Pura added.

"Oh, okay." Lightwing looked keenly at the pair for a moment. "Guess I'll head down then."

"Maybe I should go with him," Wing said, as he set her down and stepped back. "I should find Blaster."

"Wait." Pura took a step towards him. "I uh…. Maybe we could try again? Tomorrow?"

"Are you sure?"

"I've gotta try and beat this fear somehow don't I?"

Wing took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Yes, you do, and I'll help you."

"Just… no falling next time."

"No promises," Wing chuckled.

Still holding her hand in his, he led her over to the entrance of the Underground; and Pura looked down at their clasped hands and smiled.

END.


	12. Fear

TITLE: First Priority

CHALLENGE SET: #3

CHALLENGE: Fear

RATING: PG

WORD COUNT: 1,171

PAIRINGS: Pura/Blue Wing

SUMMARY: The hurt caused by inaction can be just as painful.

OTHER NOTES: First Aid and Ironhide are property of HasTak

_Because you live and breathe. Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help. – Jesse McCartney._

First Aid looked up from connecting the last few cables in Ironhide's forearm to see Blue Wing carrying a half-conscious Pura in his arms. Fluid smeared the mech's torso and dripped onto the floor. The medic's optic band brightened in alarm as Wing gently laid the femme face-down on the nearest table, revealing a sizeable hole in her back, just below her doorwings. Fluid leaked from a few broken cables and burnt wires sparked randomly. The flier looked at the medic as he ran over to assess the damage.

"One of them shot her from behind," Wing said as he stepped back. "Cant remember who it was exactly, I wasn't paying attention."

"It doesn't matter," First Aid replied.

He deftly ran a scanner over the wound, then sighed as half a dozen red areas came up that needed quick attention.

"Wing…" he said quietly.

The flier looked up. "Please don't ask me to leave… I… I need to be with her. I wont get in your way."

"I wasn't going to. I was going to ask you to help me."

"What! But where's Ratchet!"

"Gone out to the field, just a few minutes before you came in." The medic lowered his head a bit. "I'm not qualified enough to do this all by myself. Ratchet only gives me the light cases right now, while he works on the more complicated stuff. He can handle this by himself, but I cant, that's why…".

"What makes you think I can help?" Wing asked. "I have no medical training whatsoever!"

"You know basic field repair, don't you?"

"Of course, but - ."

"That's good enough, I'll try and guide you through the rest."

"First Aid," Wing's optics were wide. "I cant do this…. Internal repairs… they… the sight of a bot's internals… I… I just cant!"

"I cant fix her without your help," First Aid said. "And I cant leave her like this till Ratchet comes back either. He's going to have his own hands full, and he'll think I -…. There's also a chance she might develop more severe complications."

Wing looked stricken. "What do you mean?"

"She could bleed out before Ratchet even has a chance to look at her. I need someone to help me weld and fuse all those wires back together while I try to close off all those fuel-lines and replace whatever's too damaged inside her. Basically… I need someone to do my job, while I try and do Ratchet's."

"I'm just scared," Wing confessed. "I'm afraid of losing her, but I'm even more afraid of losing her because I messed up at some thing I've never been good at."

"I'm scared too, Wing," First Aid said. "I've never done this by myself before. Ratchet's always been around to help me. I don't want anything to happen to Pura anymore than you do, but I'm scared something might if I try to go it alone."

During this time, Ironhide had levered himself into a sitting position and used his good hand to gently stroke the back of the femme's head, while whispering softly to her to hold on, everything was gonna be alright. Now he looked up at Wing.

"What you gotta ask yourself, son, is if your love for her is stronger than your fear. If it ain't, then you got no business bein' with her. How much do ya love her, Wing?" He looked at First Aid. "And how much longer are you gonna keep doubting your own abilities and keep runnin' to Ratchet? The ol' doc's not always gonna be around for ya, one day you're gonna hafta go it alone whether you like it or not."

The two mechs exchanged a look as Ironhide watched them.

"Every minute you spend givin' into your fear, the closer you put her to danger. Now if you two ain't gonna help her…" he summoned his rifle and pointed the barrel at Pura's head. "… then I'm just gonna put her out of her misery quickly than let her go through anymore pain."

"NO!" Alarmed, and on instinct, Wing shoved himself between the gun and Pura, wrenching the weapon from the other mech's grip. "I wont let you hurt her!"

Trying to shake off the shock of Ironhide's actions, First Aid reached for Pura and started sealing and re-attaching the damaged fuel cables, stopping at random moments to weld and solder any other damage he came across. Despite his fears, his hands were steady as he worked.

"Wing…," Pura moaned softly.

"She's already hurtin' son, and you ain't doin' a thing to stop it," Ironhide said.

Wing looked at the red mech for a moment, then went to stand opposite First Aid on the other side of the table. He sighed.

"Tell me what to do," he said.

First Aid took his hand and placed it on a cable within her wound. Fluid spurted and coated his fingers, and he fought down to urge to heave. Pura didn't need him taking medical attention away from her.

"Hold it together while I seal it," the medic said.

Wing did as he asked, trying his best to ignore the fluid staining his hands and the sight and touch of the femme's internal systems. She needed him. He knew he had to stop being afraid and be there for her if he truly loved her – and he did. She let out another pained moan.

"Its ok Pura," he said. "You're going to be fine."

Ironhide smiled to himself as he lay back down.

… Two hours later, First Aid finished welding a patch to her back that would slowly intergrate with the host metal of her body. It hadn't been a moment too soon. The medbay doors burst open and Ratchet came in with a few more wounded Autobots and First Aid was immediately called to assist and take care of a few of them, leaving Wing alone with Pura, forgotten for now. He knelt beside her head and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Sorry I scared you," she said softly. "And for making you do the one thing you're afraid of."

He shook his head. "I love you too much to be afraid. I'm just sorry I took so long to realize it."

Pura stirred, trying to turn onto her side so that she could see him better, and looked at him for help.

"I'll get all this on you." He held up his hands.

"Its alright, you can clean me up later." Pura smiled.

Wing stood to help her, which was when Ironhide held out a cloth to him. He accepted it.

"Thanks," he said. "For everything."

"Yer welcome, son. Anytime."

END.


	13. Forgotten

TITLE: Just A Memory  
CHALLENGE SET: #3  
CHALLENGE: Forgotten  
RATING: PG  
WORD COUNT: 1,392  
PAIRINGS: None  
SUMMARY: Pura reaches Iacon in an attempt to find Prowl, but finds something else instead.  
NOTE: Yes I'm still writing these, no I haven't forgotten about it.

_I don't remember the way you filled my world with laughter, or how I changed forever after. As I look back it's sad to see my memory is failing me. – Linda Eder._

Iacon was a lot bigger than she had anticipated, and far more complex than she could have ever dreamed. The buildings were packed closely together, the streets were bustling with Autobots, the city was as crowded as it ever got – and yet, she had never felt so alone. Wandering the streets, cycle after cycle, Pura's tired optics searched the faces in the crowds, hoping at long last to see Prowl's, or – eventhough she knew it was unlikely – Pursuit's.

Asking about Prowl's whereabouts, especially at any military station, had gotten her nowhere. They either refused to tell her anything, denied knowing such a mech existed, or said that he wasn't around. Contacting him over her comm.link was just as futile. Most of the time she was just met with static or dead air. There was the one time she thought she heard his voice, right before the link abruptly cut off. It just left her feeling all the more insecure.

Pura sighed. It was almost like he had forgotten about her and Pursuit.

She'd spent a day in the ruins of Praxus, the second day after the attack, searching for Pursuit and waiting to see if Prowl would arrive with help from the 'great' city of Iacon. She'd been disappointed. Finally she decided to strike out on her own, hoping to at least run into Prowl along the way with a rescue convoy, but it was as if Praxus – just like her – had been suddenly forgotten. The roads were clear and deserted.

Pura finally found a small niche down a back street where she could curl up and get some shut down for a while, before continuing her search again. She scrubbed her hand across her weary optics, wiping away a few traces of fluid, along with some dust and other particles. A part of her just wanted to give up, forget him, but if she did there would be nothing else for her to do. She didn't exactly have anywhere to go, or any skills that were of any use.

She curled up as far back in the niche as she could to keep warm – flattening her doorwings against her back – and almost immediately fell into a deep recharge. It was probably due to exhaustion that this time around, she forgot to check on the safety of her surroundings before settling down to sleep. As a result, she was oblivious to the mech across the street who watched her from the shadows, wondering how fast he could grab her and take her away before she drew too much attention.

He started across the street towards her.

Reaching the other side, he suddenly found his way blocked by two large, winged forms. The smaller silver one had his hands resting on his hips, while the bigger blue one had his arms crossed over his chest. Both were frowning.

"Y'know," the silver one said. "I wonder what the Iacon security forces would do if they found a predator in the city."

"Especially one that likes to prey on innocent, young femmes?" the blue asked. "I figure the Vats."

Both fliers turned their frowns on the other mech, who took one good look at their faces and took off down the street. The silver un-spaced a holo-vid disk and tossed it around in his hands.

"Remind me to drop this off at one of the military posts. I'm sure they'd like to see what kind of bots they have on the streets," he said.

"What are we going to do about her?" the blue asked, looking down at the sleeping femme. "We cant just leave her here, who knows who else might try something."

The silver looked back, seeing that the blue was too concerned about the femme to pay any attention to what he was saying. "Maybe we should wake her up and ask her to come with us."

"I don't want to scare her," the blue replied.

"Well, we cant just pick her up and take her with us either, that would make us no better than that other mech." The silver mech knelt. "We'll just take it slowly."

The blue knelt as well. "I wonder what her story is. She doesn't look like she's from around here."

"We can ask her when she wakes up. Here goes."

He reached out to her, but was beaten, as the blue placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and gave her a light shake. She moaned softly as her optics flickered, then lit up with a turquoise blue glow. Then she focused on them and raised her head with a gasp.

"Whoa, its alright. I'm not going to hurt you," the blue mech said quickly. "But its not safe for you out here."

The silver leaned forward. "My name's Lightwing and this is Blue Wing – no relation, merely coincidence – and we uh… just kinda saved you."

The femme sat up. "Saved me?"

Blue Wing nudged the other flier aside and held out his hand. "Please, don't be afraid. We want to help you. Its dangerous for you to be out here alone."

She looked at them. "How do I know you wont take me elsewhere and do something?"

"Because had we wanted to, we would have already done so," Blue Wing replied. "Please, trust us. Trust me."

"And what would I owe you in return for your help?" she asked.

The two mechs looked at each other.

"Sweet Primus, dear femme, nothing at all," Lightshow answered. "We just don't want any harm to come to you."

"We don't want you to get hurt," Blue Wing said.

Pura met the blue mech's optics and held them for a moment, searchingly. For his part, Blue Wing held her gaze till finally she took his still-out-stretched hand and let him pull her to her feet. Lightwing couldn't help giving her an appreciative once-over.

"Don't think of trying anything," she warned. "I can be a lot stronger than I look."

"We wouldn't dream of it," Blue Wing replied in a tone that made it hard to tell if he was humoring her or really believed her. "Come, would you like some energon? You seem under-energized." He led her up the street as he passed her a small cube of energon, leaving Lightwing to bring up the rear. "What is your name?"

"I'm Pura," she said as she discarded the now-empty can. "I came here from Praxus to look for my brother, but…," she sighed. "… he seems to have forgotten me. I cant find him anywhere, or my creator. She may have died though."

Blue Wing stopped and looked at her. "Praxus? Wasn't that where…? Primus, Pura I'm so sorry, but… your brother? He's here?"

"He left home to join the Iacon military some time before the attack. Do you know him? His name is Prowl."

"Sorry," Lightwing said. "We've never heard of him. Wing used to be in the military, but he left before the new Prime came in…. How did you escape Praxus?"

A pained look crossed Pura's face. "I just… just hid… underground." She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I… thank you, but I cant go with you… I really need to find my brother."

"Pura, please…" Blue Wing tried to reason.

"I… I cant. I don't want Prowl to think I forgot him. Thank you for you kindness. I'll be careful next time." She started to back away. "I'm sorry."

Leaving the two mechs where they were, she turned her back on them and hurried along the street. She would have liked to have gone with them, but she still had a job to do. She would have liked friends, but she had already lost two that were closest to her, and she didn't want to go through any more pain. It would be best if she just forgot them, and they forgot her. No one would be hurt that way, she reasoned.

Then, could that be why Prowl had forgotten her?

END


	14. Unforgettable

TITLE: Lasting Impression  
CHALLENGE SET: #3  
CHALLENGE: Unforgettable  
RATING: PG  
WORD COUNT: 1,099  
PAIRINGS: None  
SUMMARY: Forgetting someone is not always easy.

_And so it is just like you said it would be. Life goes easy on me most of the time. And so it is the shorter story. No love, no glory. No hero in her sky… I cant take my mind off you. – Damien Rice._

Blue Wing drummed his fingers softly on the armrest of his chair, watching Tracks speaking about something or the other, but not really concentrating on him. It was not that he didn't want to- he'd tried a few times – but his focus kept shifting to something else – or rather, someone.

"So Blaster said that we should just go in and…," Tracks went on, sweeping his arm in a flamboyant arc.

Blue Wing looked up and tried to seem interested. She'd said her name was Pura, and that was all he had – a name. It had been three solar cycles since he and Lightwing had 'rescued' the femme, only to have her run off, and he found he couldn't stop thinking about her…. Where was she now? Safe with her brother? Still alone on the streets? Was she even still alive?

"Then I told Blaster that if he wanted to… Wing?... Wing…? Wing!" Tracks crossed his arms.

"Hmm? I'm sorry Tracks, did you say something?" Wing looked up innocently and Blaster stifled a chuckle.

"You havent been listening to a word I've been saying have you?" Tracks asked.

"I'm sorry, I just have a lot on my mind right now," Wing replied apologetically.

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Blaster asked.

"The question, Blaster," Lightwing said, coming in, "Should be: like who?"

Three pairs of optics stared at him and Blue Wing frowned back defiantly, half wanting to smack Lightwing for being able to read him so well. He couldn't deny it however, he HAD been thinking of her.

"Oh you mean he didn't tell you?" Lightwing went on. "About the femme we met the other time?"

"No he didn't," Tracks replied. "You told us. You also said she ran off before you could find out anything."

"It doesn't explain why he's been brooding so much though," Blaster said. "Unless of course, y'know…."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Blue Wing asked, rounding on him, his frown deepening.

"Whoa, take it easy." Blaster backed up a step. "I'm just saying she must've left an impression on ya if ya cant forget about her even after three solar cycles."

"I don't fancy her, if that's what you're implying," Wing replied. "I barely know her. I'm just wondering if she's alright. She was upset when she left us, and I'm worried. I wanted to help her."

Tracks sighed. "Wing, you don't have to be everyone's hero."

"This is not about me trying to be a hero," Wing replied. "I'm just concerned. A femme like her should not be out on the streets all alone, even if this IS Iacon."

"Well, why don't you just go out and find her?" Blaster suggested.

"Its not that simple. I don't know where she went, and I don't want to force her to come with me even if I do find her," Wing said. He stood up, stretched his wings and headed to the door. "I don't even know what I could possibly say to her."

The others watched him go, smirking, and making no attempt to stop him, or even ask where he was going.

"Any moment now," Lightwing said.

Sure enough, a cycle later they heard the roar of his afterburners as he flew overhead, that quickly faded into the distance.

… Wing had not forgotten the promise he'd made to himself a long time ago – that he would never leave anyone behind – and now it prickled at his spark as he flew. Maybe he simply cared too much, but he knew that if he didn't try again to look for her, he'd never be able to recharge peacefully. Her face was burnt too deep into his memory to let him. Trying to rest these past few cycles alone had been a trial, she haunted every thought.

He spurred himself on faster. He had to find her somehow and convince her to come back with him, because there was no way he was leaving her behind this time around.

A shard of light glinted off a red edge and he dove. He remembered she had a red chevron.

"Pura!" he called. "Pura wait!"

The femme spun around with a start, doorwing flung back and rigid, her optics wide in alarm as she looked for whoever had called her name. Blue Wing circled once, descended, transformed and lowered himself to the ground. Pura backed up a step.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Whoa, easy." Blue Wing raised his hands. "Don't you remember me?" Then he mentally kicked himself – just because he couldn't forget her didn't necessarily mean she remembered him. "We met…".

"I didn't forget," she replied. "Blue Wing right?"

He nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry if I scared you, but I was worried about you, and I couldn't rest knowing you were out here all alone. I have to ask again – wont you come with me?"

"Why should I?" she asked.

"Because you cant go on like this, by yourself. Because you need help, and we both know it. Because you could die out here and I could never forget, nor forgive myself for it," he replied.

She frowned. "Why are you taking this so personally?"

"I don't like leaving anyone behind. I made a promise to myself that I never would, and I refuse to break it. Please don't make me."

"My brother's still here somewhere."

"And what makes you think you'll be able to find him by going on the way you are? You're low on energy and exhausted. I can give you energon and a safe place to rest and recharge, if only you would trust me."

"But Prowl…".

"Prowl may have forgotten you. I didn't. I wont… and I'm not asking you to forget about him, but instead take care of yourself first. Please Pura, come with me."

The femme looked to her left, then her right, and finally up at him, searching his face for any signs of insincerity.

"I don't think I have the energy to go very far or very fast," she said.

"We'll go as slow as you like, and its not that far from here," he replied.

She sighed. "Lead the way then."

Together, they walked slowly down the street.

END


	15. Courage

TITLE: Brave Revelations

CHALLENGE SET: #3

CHALLENGE: Courage

RATING: PG

WORD COUNT: 1,091

PAIRINGS: Pura/Blue Wing

SUMMARY: It's easy to be strong when you've got someone watching your back

"_If you lose yourself - your courage soon will follow. So be strong tonight - remember who you are." – Bryan Adams_

Blue Wing walked down the hallways of their new base, trying to accustom himself to the feeling of being underground. As a flier, he didn't much care for enclosed spaces, but he knew why it was important that they remain hidden. Discovery by either the Decepticons or the Autobot military could lead to a messy state of affairs for all concerned; and anyway, if he was feeling bad, he knew Lightwing had to be feeling a lot worse.

He continued his walk, looking for their newly-appointed, though unofficial, leader and found her soon enough, sitting in an empty room with her head in her arms and her doorwings drooped down her back. At first he thought she was tired and was trying to catch some rest, so not wanting to disturb her, he intended to back away quietly. He had not counted on stumbling over his own feet. The noise made Pura look up, which was when he noticed her cheeks glistening with fluid.

"Pura!" His optics wide in alarm, he approached her. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"Stay away from me!" she all but screamed at him.

Wing froze a couple of feet away from her. "Pura…".

"How could you do this?! I trusted you Wing! And this is what you do to me?! I TRUSTED YOU!!"

"But what did I do?" he asked, then cursed inwardly.

He knew exactly what he had done, but it was too late now to take back his words. She flew at him and he had just enough time to bring his arm up and block her fist. Wing had taken worse hits in his time, and though this didn't hurt nearly as much, he could still feel the anger and outrage in her blows.

"Was this why you brought me off the streets?" she asked. "Because you needed someone to dump this burden on?"

"Of course not." Wing tried to catch her hands as they swung at him, not because he was afraid of her, but more to stop her from hurting herself though he had to give the young femme credit for being brave enough to attack a mech much larger and stronger than she was. "I had no idea this would happen."

"Then why didn't you do anything?" she asked.

"Because I'm not their leader," he replied.

"You could be."

"No, Pura, I couldn't." He caught both her wrists in one hand and stopped her swings. "Neither could anyone else. Blaster is too much of a rebel. Tracks and Lightwing don't have it in them."

"But you do!"

Blue Wing shook his head. "No, I don't."

"Who took care of them all before I came along? It was you. And you want to dump it on me just because you can't be bothered to anymore."

"We took care of ourselves," he corrected. "We'd never had to live like this – hidden – before you came."

"And what makes you think I know anything about leadership?"

"I think you adapt the best out of all of us. I think you're smart enough and kind enough that the others will listen to you more willingly, and they have."

"You still didn't answer my question – why not you?"

"It's a long story."

"You owe me an explanation. You owe me that much."

Wing sighed, released her, then moved off a little way to sit on the edge of a metal crate. From the look in his optics, she guessed it was also a story he wasn't comfortable with telling, and though she felt bad for pressing him to tell it, she wasn't going to go back on her words.

"It was a long time ago," he said at last, his voice catching slightly. "I was in charge of a group of mechs and I led them into an ambush. They died, I escaped. That's the short version." He looked away from her and stared at the wall. "That was why I left the military. I'm not cut out for leadership, Pura. I don't want to lead another group of bots to their deaths."

"Neither do I," Pura said quietly. "And I'm scared I will."

"You don't have the vices I did." He still wouldn't meet her optics. "We don't have to worry about you getting overcharged."

It didn't take Pura long to put what he was telling her, and what he was not telling her, together; she knew it had taken some amount of courage and trust on his part to confess it. She looked at him – at the way his wings drooped, at the expression on his face – and knew the memories still haunted him. A part of her spark prickled, even as her mind lurched into action. Perhaps there was a way after all, they just needed to have a little courage.

"Would you help me?" she asked softly. "Maybe on our own we're too scared to do anything, but maybe if we worked together, we could be brave?"

Blue Wing turned pained optics on her. "Why would you trust me after what I just told you?"

"Because telling me took courage, and I think if you helped me, I could be brave, too. Besides," here she offered him a small smile. "I don't know anything about being in the military, or running a faction. Will you help me?"

Something in the mech's optics brightened. "I'll help you."

She stood up then and went over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her, a little puzzled, wondering what she was trying to do.

"Then I hereby name you as my official…," she paused and frowned. "Uh… what do they call it in the military?"

Blue Wing laughed at that. "Second-in-Command."

Pura giggled as well. "My official Second-in-Command," she finished. "See? There's a lot I don't know that you're going to have to teach me."

Wing stood and took her smaller hand in his, squeezing it gently while at the same time feeling a faint tingle in his spark. He was growing rather fond of this little femme and somewhere within himself, he knew he was always going to be there for her. She had courage, she just needed to realize it.

"It would be my honor," he replied.

END.


End file.
